Radio 4 Extra has been broadcasting some excellent readings this summer, in the series ‘Book at Beachtime’. I love the excuse that being away on holiday gives me to read anytime, anywhere [although I am not sure how much of this summer’s Cornerstones trip will involve the beach] I have optimistically packed six books for our ten days away.
Four Pyms - having discovered that the Leicester County Libraries are woefully lacking, I bit the bullet and splashed out £7 on the collection from the Book People. That included ‘Some Tame Gazelle’ [read in spring 2011] and these four which I may have read back in the early 80s when the girls were babies- but can’t recall at all now!
Then a couple of secondhand bargains, from the recent garden party at Carey Gardens. The Rankin one is a little but embarrassing.
“I thought you had that” said Bob “You’ve got all his books haven’t you?” I assured him that although the blurb on the back seemed vaguely familiar, I had definitely not read this one. And when we got home and I put it into my ‘stuff to take to Norfolk’ bag – I found another copy. I had bought that one in a charity shop a few weeks ago….because I hadn’t read it and thought it would be good to take on holiday! What an idiot I am! Anybody want my spare copy??
The De Lisle one is all about Lady Jane Grey and her family, and she’s cropped up everywhere this past term as I have been teaching in her corner of Leicestershire [and the family owned Beaumanor, where I was the other week]. So I thought I would enjoy this one. Leanda de Lisle is a local historian and journalist, and connected to the nobility too, so I suspect she is probably related to the Greys somewhere along the line!
I will try and post reviews later in the month.
It's a long time since I read Barbara Pym, they were always good holiday books! I have done the same as you, bought a book, put it away in a safe place, bought a second copy.....
ReplyDeletePosting your tea towel today!
I would love the book. I have never read Ian Rankin.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Barbara Pym, I think she is very underrated. I thought I had read everything but I certainly haven't seen An Academic Question before. Thank you for the tip - now I need to hunt this down.
ReplyDeletePut PC and me into the Rankin giveaway- we have lots of his but not this one. And you could save on postage, ha ha!! Love the Pym splurge- the last one I read was Glass of Blessings and I found it one of the most poignant so far. Don't know Academic Question. Am trying to read through them all in order. So we can have a mini Pym book club soon xx
ReplyDeleteI too love Miss Pym (oh dear, we seem to be straying into Josephine Tey territory). Every few years I go on a Pym rampage and read through as many of her books as our library system contains. (The only one I own is Some Tame Gazelle - bought at a library sale).
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to a review of the "Sisters" book. :)
This made me chuckle Angela, it is probably my copy of the Rankin book that you bought!! I have loads of detective novels that I could pass on to you, all passed to me by the other Angela. Enjoy your reading.
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